Post.



Sept. 20, 1910.

J. P. QUINN.

POST. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1909- Patented INVENTOR. 5 $1 B? m, Z64? A 2701a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN P. QUINN, OF CHELMSFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MARTIN J. QUINN, OF CHELMSFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

rosT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. QUINN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelmsford, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Posts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to posts and bases therefor and is applicable to such posts as commonly have their lower or butt ends sunk in the ground.

The object of this invention is to provide for a post of perishable material, as wood, an economical and durable base or holder which shall protect the lower end of the post from contact with the earth and moisture and shall allow the access of air to the part of the post within said base to prevent decay of the post.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a post provided with my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical central section of the base and the lower part of the post, the upper part of said post being in elevation; Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the lower part or stem of the post proper and a section of the base parallel with top of said base; Fig. 4 an enlarged vertical central section of a part of the socket and post showing a means of fastening the post to the socket; Fig. 5, a plan of the base.

A indicates a base or socket formed of plastic material, as concrete or cement, and allowed to harden. The shape of the base may be of any desired form and is herein represented as circular in cross-section and upwardly tapering. Said base A is provided with a vertical central perforation a or chamber which for convenience of fitting the stem Z) or lower end of the post B to the base is preferably circular in horizontal cross-section. One or more grooves a (three being represented in Figs. 3 and 5) are formed in the inner wall of the base for the passage of air in contact with the stem of the post and to allow any moisture which might accidentally get inside of the base to run down between the lower part of the post and the inner walls of the socket and out of the bottom of the socket.

The top or upper end of the socket is beveled as shown at a and in said top may be formed as many grooves a as there are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 16, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Serial No. 502,438.

grooves (4 each groove a entering the top of and lying in the same radial plane as one of the grooves a the two communicating grooves forming an air-passage between the central chamber and the outer air. The inclination of the top of the base is sutlicient to prevent rain from running up over the top of the base into the central chamber of said base.

Either with or without the grooves a, the upwardly inclined passages a, the inner upper ends of which enter the grooves a, may be used for air and moisture passages, said passages a each entering and lying in the same radial plane with one of the grooves a as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

The post B is preferably of the same shape in cross-section above the socket A, as the socket itself. The lower end portion of the post B is reduced to form a stem Z) which is intended closely to fit the chamber or bore a of the base and the shoulder b where the top of the stem 1) joins the enlarged body of the post is concaved, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, to fit the top of the post, it being understood that the shoulder 5 and the stem 1) do not enter the grooves or passages a (L The stem 5 is intended to fit the base closely enough to be retained therein with considerable friction, but to prevent the posts of a very short fence being lifted out of the bases by a wind storm or by mischievous persons, one or more screws C may be driven up into an equal number of the inclined passages a and into the stem 7) of the post. One such screw .lying partly in a passage (1. and partly in the post would be su'llicient for the purpose and the screw should be small enough to allow the air to circulate between said screw and the sides of said passage.

The socket is inserted in the ground but not deep enough to close the outer ends of the air-passages.

The shoulder 7)" of the post should be at least large enough to cover the top of the socket and prevent the lodgment of rain on the latter.

I claim as my invention 1. A base having a vertical chamber to receive the lower end of a post and having one or more grooves in the wall of said chamber and having an inclined passage outside of said chamber.

2. The combination of a base having a central chamber and a post having a stem to enter and fit said chamber, said chamber having one or more vertical grooves in its concave walls extending above and below the lower end of said stem and an air passage connecting the upper part of each groove with the outer air and leading downward from said chamber.

3. The combination of the base having a central vertical perforation and a post having a stem shorter than said base and reduced to enter and fit said perforation said base having one or more vertical grooves in the wall of said perforation and extending from the top of said base below said stem and an air passage connecting the upper part of each groove near the top of said stem with the outer air and inclined downward from said groove.

4:. A base having a vertical chamber to receive the lower end of a post and having one or more grooves in the wall of said chamber and having an inclined passage leading downwardly from a groove to the outside of said chamber in combination with the post having a reduced lower end portion which enters and fits said chamber and a screw driven into said end portion and eX tending into said passage to prevent said post from being lifted out of said base.

In witness whereof, I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. QUINN.

lVit-nesses:

ALBERT M. MOORE, LUDGER A. NICOL. 

